North Korea: Huge military display in Pyongyang for anniversary

Kim spoke in a huge military parade in the capital city of Pyongyang during a celebration to mark 70 years since the ruling party was formed.

In a rare speech to the assembled masses, a tribute to the ruling party that has served at the whim of three generations of the Kim dynasty, the leader lashed out at the United States, vowing to fight “any war” if provoked.

Even though North Korean officials did not divulge details of the celebration plans, open-source satellite imagery has been monitoring large-scale troop activities at the Mirim military air base in Pyongyang, which has been rigged with a mock-up of Kim Illinois Sung Square.

Standing to Kim’s left, Liu Yunshan, who ranks fifth in China’s ruling Communist Party hierarchy, watched the parade and talked with the North’s leader, in what could be a cautious sign for improving the strained ties between Pyongyang and Beijing.

In a letter delivered by Liu, the most senior Chinese official to visit Pyongyang since leader Kim came to power following his father’s death in 2011, Xi said China attached vital importance to its relationship with North Korea, China’s official Xinhua news agency said.

Governments around the world were watching the parade, specifically to see which equipment, which weapons were unveiled. Tickets for foreigners hoping to attend the concert were going for 100 euros ($114) a pop.

Harris said that the North’s pursuit of nuclear development is posing a threat to 28-thousand USA forces stationed in South Korea, Washington’s allies of South Korea and Japan, as well as the US mainland.

Drones were displayed and a KN-08 ballistic missile, with an estimated range of 10,000 kilometers (6,200 miles), that the country had previously shown off in 2012. “This seemed like quite a concession on the part of the North Koreans after several years of giving them the cold shoulder”.

Kim also told Liu that North Korea needs a “peaceful and stable external environment” as it seeks to develop its moribund economy.

“The Workers’ Party of Korea is an invincible party which forms a coherent whole with the people”, he said. Analysts say that Kim used the event to popularize his own stature, as well as that of the military and the party.

On 17 October 1926, a teenage Kim Il-sung, who would later become North Korea’s first leader, set up the “Down-with-Imperialism Union”.

Impoverished North Korea and rich, democratic South Korea remain technically at war after their 1950-53 conflict ended in a truce, not a treaty. Keeping potentially powerful institutions carefully balanced against each other is a key to the stability of Kim’s dictatorial leadership.

North Korea, relatively small nation that it is, will do its best Saturday to convince the world – and particularly the United States – that it’s not to be trifled with.